Love Is Our Resistance
by enigma-kar
Summary: SongFic to Resistance by Muse. A/M Slash with character death, tells of hiding their love and their time together. “The axe had fallen - a single stroke, which couldn't be taken back...”


**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the characters mentioned below. Nor do I own the italliced lyrics. They belong to the BBC and to Muse, respectively.

_I recently was listening to Muse's new album, The Resistance and after immediately falling in love with it, I really connected this song to Arthur and Merlin. I'm doing that a lot, these days with various characters from various TV shows. I think that if Arthur and Merlin ever had a secret affair and eloped together, this would be their song. :) This is only my second song fic and my first actual Arthur/Merlin slash. I hope you enjoy anyway, despite the tragic and angsty nature of it all. I have also purposely kept Merlin's magic out of this - so you can read it as Arthur knows or doesn't know - it's up to you. _

_Special thanks to _YouGottaSingAlong, _who offered to look over this before I uploaded it. :)_

_Honest opinions and reviews are always welcomed and appreciated. _

* * *

Love Is Our Resistance

* * *

He had loved Merlin.

But it had never been like that from the beginning; their relationship had grown, from their first meeting of dislike, into friendship and then into love. He could not speak for Merlin, but Arthur's love for his manservant was something that had grown seemingly overnight. It was pure and simple. Arthur never regretted his decisions in that affair and suspected Merlin had been the same. They'd spent every moment together as though it were their last, because there was always the chance that it would be - but it had never been enough.

It never lasted as they had wished and never ended as Arthur had thought it would.

The axe had fallen - a single stroke, which couldn't be taken back.

_Is our secret safe tonight?  
And are we out of sight?  
Will our world come tumbling down?  
Will they find our hiding place?  
Is this our last embrace?  
Or will the walls start caving in?_

So many questions darkening their thoughts. The fear of being discovered was always on their minds; especially in the mind of Arthur. Every stolen kiss and lingering touch was done in the shadows of night, and yet whispers and rumours were always there - stalking and haunting them.

The Prince and his Manservant - together.

_It could be wrong  
Could be wrong  
But it should've been right_

Oh, it was right. In so many ways it had been right. Every fibre in Arthur's being felt it to be right. Every time they touched and joined together at the peak of ecstasy Arthur felt a belonging he had never experienced before and he knew Merlin felt the same. It was always going to be right. It was only wrong in the eyes of those who could never know.

_It could be wrong  
Could be wrong  
Let our hearts ignite_

Yet as he looked back, Arthur realised it had been wrong. It had always been wrong to start the affair and Arthur now knew it as Merlin had. Their affair together was stunted as Merlin feared the risks. He had known that it was wrong on so many levels, but the passion they felt could not be buried. But Arthur convinced him it would be alright. It was Arthur who reassured him. And all the while, the risks of being caught grew as they continued to hide away; only showing their love when no one else could see. And yet the whispers still followed them. It would only be a matter of time until they were found out.

_It could be wrong  
Could be wrong  
Are we digging a hole?_

As Merlin was reassured, their relationship deepened further again, as they expressed months of hidden emotions, until eventually, the inevitable happened. Gwen was the first to discover them, watching them as they slept in each others arms on the Prince's bed. Back when they were perfectly contented. She never spoke of what she had seen, not even to Arthur and Merlin themselves.

_It could be wrong  
Could be wrong  
This is out of control_

Morgana's discovery followed, as she too caught the pair together. She confronted Arthur, as Gwen hadn't and promised they would not tell a soul and keep their secret safe. Who were they to deny the two lovers'? Looking back, Arthur almost wishes the two women had said something; put an end to it. It had become out of control before either Merlin or Arthur could realise and the consequences were torment.

_It could be wrong  
Could be wrong  
It can never last_

It never could have lasted and they had both known that. Arthur's position as Prince had ruled that out from the beginning. The number of balls they had to attend, as Uther was set of finding a suitable wife for his son. Arthur knew it had been torture for Merlin to watch him dance with so many women. How they had both longed to dance and touch each other instead.

_It could be wrong  
Could be wrong  
Must erase it fast_

Panicked hiding of soiled sheets and sweaty clothes. Bite marks on necks, covered. The physical signs were always erased. But the memories… What was to erase? How could Arthur begin to erase the memories of that time? He had promised he'd remember. Always remember. The bringing down of the axe would never sever those memories. Not from Arthur's mind.

_Love is our resistance  
They'll keep us apart they won't stop breaking us down  
Hold me  
Our lips must always be sealed_

Love was their resistance and it held them together; kept them sane in troubled times of life and death. Not only were they unable to tell, but Morgana and Gwen were also sworn to secrecy. Arthur still remembers the pain of not being able to show his love. He had wanted to shout it out to the world, tell them all of his euphoria and love for Merlin. Remnants of conversation, still haunt the Prince as he reminds himself of all they once had.

"How long will you stay with me?"

A smile. "Forever."

_If we live our life in fear  
I'll wait a thousand years  
Just to see you smile again  
Kill your prayers for love and peace  
You'll wake the thought police  
We can't hide the truth inside_

The attempts of secrecy were never enough, even when Arthur held Merlin and they both felt they had defeated the threat of being discovered. The fear was still there, warning them. Flashes of smiles were given, touches in the dark, as they ignored the warnings. Arthur remembers them all, but the memories of their time together were slowly being overshadowed by how obvious the warnings had been.

The truth should never have been hidden for so long. They had lived in blissful ignorance that their secret was safe, while all the time _he_ had know. Watched and known and then, finally, acted.

_The night has reached his end  
We can't pretend  
We must run  
We must run  
It's time to run_

And they ran. Oh, how they ran; running away from the peril of Uther's wrath when they were discovered. Arthur remembers it so clearly and how he wished it had been nothing but a terrible nightmare. If only it had… The memories of stumbling through the darkened forest, tripping and stumbling as they fled are still there like some kind of sick dream. But there is also fragments of conversation as the Prince tried to save the one he loved.

"Go."

"I'm not leaving you."

"Please, Merlin, you must go now or you'll get caught," his voice had been urgent. "Save yourself."

But it had already been too late. They had run so far and so fast. But they hadn't been a match for the knights of the realm. The King would have Merlin executed, while his own son was spared.

No longer could they pretend; it was known to all now. To all…

_Take us away from here  
Protect us from further harm  
RESISTANCE..._

Arthur's prayer had gone unheard and unanswered. He had been thrown down, sentenced to a mere week in the dungeons. But it was nothing. Nothing compared to Merlin's fate. He had begged his father. Oh, how he begged. But the King's word was not to be disobeyed to questioned and they was nothing he could do.

The axe had fallen. Arthur had looked away, his last heart-breaking memory of Merlin firmly imprinted in his mind.

"Promise me you'll remember."

"How could I ever forget?"

"I love you, Arthur."

"I know," a smile. "I love you too, Merlin."

Another smile followed, before Arthur had leaned forward and gently, yet passionately, pressed his lips against Merlin's, in what was to be their final kiss.

The axe had then fallen, killing Arthur's lover.

But it never killed their love.


End file.
